That’s right. Smells good, doesn’t it?
“And exactly what am I supposed to do with that?” She waved the knife at her full plate.
Mason picked up a rib and bit off a hunk of barbecue sauce-slathered meat. “Eat. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it enough I’ll get to hear a sexy moan.”
“Perfect. You’re an intruder and a horn dog. What a winning combination,” she drawled.
She had no idea how close she was to the truth. With a smirk he grabbed her fork, scooped up some collard greens and held it out to her. “Eat. It’s good for you.”
“Said the man who broke into my house to force feed me.”
Mason popped the forkful of greens into his mouth instead and swallowed. “See? I’m not trying to poison you. You’re injured, and you need food high in protein and iron. Now sit.”
Lucy hesitated, but soon the smell of the food overrode her remaining resistance. She retook her seat and laid his phone on the table between them. “I thought chicken soup was supposed to heal all ills.”
Good, she seemed to be calming down. Getting all riled up was no good for her while she was injured. She favored her injured leg with every step, and he didn’t like that blood had seeped through her bandage a bit.
“I’d rather watch you eat my meat,” he smirked and gave her a wink.
Lucy’s cheeks blazed red. She snatched the fork from him and took a bite of the greens. Unfortunately, she denied him the moan he’d been hoping for.
“Why are you really here?” She picked up a rib and gnawed on it.
God, that’s hot.
“What do you mean?”
“I may not be familiar with every aspect of law enforcement, but I’m pretty sure a kid nearly getting run down in town by a clueless tourist doesn’t fall under the Forest Service’s jurisdiction.”
Mason chewed slowly as he tried to come up with a reasonable excuse. One that wouldn’t send her screaming for the door. “I was told a wild animal was involved and—”
Lucy interrupted him with a blast of noise that sounded as if he’d just guessed wrong on a game show. “Try again, Ranger Rick. The only animal was the fat cat the kid was trying to save. Cats aren’t exactly wild animals.”
Damn, she was impressive. Frustrating as hell, but impressive. She wasn’t about to let him slide on his line of bullshit. What surprised him even more was the fact he liked it. Thank God his cell phone rang as she waited for his answer.
A big “NC” glowed on his screen. Normally, a call from the National Circle would elicit a grumble of irritation—as respected as the NC were, no alpha liked receiving a call from them—but under the circumstances, Mason had never been more relieved for an interruption.
“I have to take this.” He snared his phone and pushed to his feet. “Eat every last bite. Mine too, if you want. And throw out that nasty shit that’s in the oven.”
Lucy sputtered as he headed for the door, but he couldn’t resist one last look back. When he caught her gaze, he tipped her a wink. “See you in the morning, sunshine.”
Chapter Seven
The couch creaked as Lucy shifted her weight, searching for a more comfortable position. One that kept her leg elevated but didn’t make her joints scream at her for sleeping on one side all night. All in all, she’d slept maybe three hours and not a single one had been restful.
After tossing and turning well into the night, a certain sexy park ranger refusing to leave her mind, her exhausted body had taken charge. It’d dragged her into the depths of sleep. Almost before her eyes had closed, bizarre and beautiful dreams had consumed her.
She slunk through low bushes and tall grasses, the underbrush teasing her face and shoulders while her ears remained lifted and listening for signs of life. The urge to chase throbbed inside her, maybe even kill. If she’d been awake, she would have been appalled, but not in her dream world. In her land of make believe and exhaustion, the need to kill couldn’t have felt more natural.
All was silent save the crack of twigs snapping under her feet and a raven cawing from its perch high in the trees. The treetops swayed in the breeze, adding a rustle of leaves to the night music.
But the earthy smell of the forest startled her most. After her parents’ deaths, Lucy had avoided wooded areas. The sharp bite of pine reminded her too much of camping as a family. Yet in her dreams, that scent felt like… home.
She sensed another presence behind her and she whirled, ready to bite the head off whoever—whatever—had snuck up on her. It smelled like an animal—feral musk mixed with crisp morning dew—but when she turned to face the interloper her breath caught. A naked man stood before her, but not just any man.
Mason.
The guy who’d barged into her life and demanded she answer questions he had no right to ask. The one who sent tingles through her when he merely glanced in her direction. The man she couldn’t stop thinking about, though she’d rather gnaw off her own leg than admit that weakness.
She didn’t need to ask what he wanted. Not when the evidence stood tall and proud, proclaiming to the world exactly what he desired.
Her.
In her dream world, Mason reached for her, his bedroom eyes filled with a deep craving that had her trembling, and she held out her hand in return. So, so close to one another and he stepped forward again and again until mere inches separated them. Electricity seemed to crackle between them, a hint of how explosive it’d be when they finally gave in to their bodies’ needs. His fingertips brushed her and…
An orgasm wrenched Lucy from slumber, eyes popping open, back arched, and mouth dropped open while she sucked in a heaving breath. Wave after wave of pleasure danced through her body, ecstasy consuming her from head to toe. Her muscles were no longer her own, toes curling and pussy clenching as she rode out the last hints of pleasure. She trembled, a shiver of joy racing down her spine and then she huffed out a long sigh as she slumped against the couch once more.
Sleep beckoned her, urging her to return to that pleasurable dream-land, but she resisted the call. She knew she’d get sucked back into a dirty dream—one that went beyond a delicate touch—about the most arrogant and presumptuous man she’d ever met.
Don’t forget sexiest.
With an exhausted sigh, Lucy pivoted on the couch until she was in something close to a sitting position. Her leg throbbed with the steady beat of her heart, which wasn’t the best of signs. After she sucked down a strong cup of coffee and three ibuprofens, she’d call the clinic and set an appointment. Hopefully she would have enough strength in her leg to drive herself.
Of course, the moment she tried to stand, her leg told her she was an idiot. Searing pain shot up her thigh and straight to her brain then beyond to the moon. She groaned as the pulsating agony increased and gripped the bandaged area, hissing at the sensitivity of the wound beneath.
Lucy took slow, shuffling steps across the living room, and it took her a full five minutes to make it to the nearby kitchen doorway. Fuck. She paused and leaned her damp forehead against the frame while she rested for a moment. She stared at the familiar marks in the wood, the ones that read Mommy 5’6” and Daddy 6’2”. Today’s emotional ache at the reminder of her parents was less than yesterday’s. That was progress, right?
She took slow, deep breaths and prepared herself to move again, bracing for the pain to come. Only to have that bit of calm shattered by a heavy pounding on her front door.
How could she already recognize Mason’s knock? Probably because he was the only person who’d visited her. Sighing, she half-hobbled, half-hopped toward the door, groaning and moaning with every hobbling step. She reached for the knob, metal cool against her palm, and twisted to grant him entry.